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BAGHDAD -- Iraq's hottest new television program is a reality show. But the players are not there by choice. And they don't win big bucks, a new spouse or a dream job.
Instead, all the characters on "Terrorism in the Hands of Justice" are captured suspected insurgents. And for more than a month, they have been riveting viewers with tales of how they killed, kidnapped, raped or beheaded other Iraqis, usually for a few hundred dollars per victim.
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Officials launched the program, Kadhim said, after realizing that Iraqis did not believe that insurgents were being arrested. "Talking to people in the street, they say, 'Is it really true? . . . Why don't you show it?' " he recalled. "The demand for this came from the people."
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"Televised confessions are almost always suspect," Stork added. "Recent examples in Iran and Saudi Arabia clearly involved a high level of coercion and degrading treatment."
Such concerns have not dimmed the program's popularity.
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"My criticism of the program is that it is sometimes simplistic, repetitive and gives the impression that those [men] are being coached to say what they are saying, although I believe they have committed these crimes," said Abdul Kareem Janaby, 46, a Trade Ministry employee. "Those persons are nothing but dirty, lowly gangs who are being used to defame the true character of the Sunnis."
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Quote:
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The police commandos have been supplying suspects who confess their crimes on the TV show, "Terrorism in the Hands of Justice." Described as the Iraqi government's "slick new propaganda tool," the program runs six nights a week on the Iraqiya network, which was set up by the Pentagon and is now run by Australian-based Harris Corp. (a major U.S. government contractor that gave 96 percent of its political funding, more than $260,000, to Republicans in 2004). According to the Boston Globe, camera crews are sent "wherever police commandos make a lot of arrests."
The show features an unseen interrogator haranguing alleged insurgents for confessions. Virtually every press account notes that the suspects appear to have been beaten or tortured, their faces bruised and swollen. The London Guardian states "some have. robotic manners of those beaten and coached by police interrogators off-camera." The Boston Globe observed, "The neat confessions of terrorist attacks at times fit together so seamlessly as to seem implausible." And then there's the nature of the confessions. Many suspects admit to "drunkeness, gay orgies and pornography," according to the Guardian. The Financial Times reported that, "One long-bearded preacher known as Abu Tabarek recently confessed that guerrillas had usually held orgies in his mosques." Another preacher giving a confession says he was fired for "having sex with men in the mosque," the Globe account stated that suspects "frequently admit to rape and pedophilia."
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This link also relates to a previous gdnet thread Death Squad Revival.
A newly emerging theme in the Iraq stories told by big media in the US is the approaching civil war. The two stories above share it, the Hostage Hoax story that unfolded and then disintegrated and almost appeared as if it was planted in order to inflame ethnic tensions. However, the record indicates that US Forces still remain the primary target of attack by insurgents. Check out these charts from Does the Resistance Target Civilians? According to US Intel, Not Really.
At any rate, all this has me wondering about justice in the hands of terrorists. How about you?
"I thought what I'd do was, I'd pretend I was one of those deaf-mutes." - the Laughing Man
I find it doubtful that the insurgents regularly have gay sex in mosques. Iraqis seem to be sensitive about stuff like that. The fact that the show brings up all this sex-themed material, and the bruised faces of the terrorists, would suggest that it's mostly propaganda. Human rights don't seem to be that popular with the current administration either. Let's hope they don't start developing weapons of mass destruction.
There are, I believe, two issues here. (My own thoughts are in parentheses):
1. Was the invasion of Iraq justified?
(Not even slightly.)
2. Since we're there now, what can we do to make things better?
(Apologise humbly, grovellingly and abjectly to the UN, redeem ourselves by helping Iraq rebuild _properly_ and find a way to prevent anything like this from ever happening again.)
*
On the 5th of May this year, the UK will have a chance to show the world what it _really_ thinks of this war in Iraq.
Now, I've always voted Lib-Dem as I never liked either of the two main parties. However, at a rough guess, I'd be disappointed, but not particularly surprised, if Blair's lot got a third term, but with a drastically reduced majority.
I'd really like to see Blair removed though. It's a shame there isn't a formal impeachment process, but I don't think one would stick anyway: Blair's the original Teflon Man.
-- Sean Timarco Baggaley
Sean Timarco Baggaley (Est. 1971.)Warning: May contain bollocks.
Quote:Original post by LessBread At any rate, all this has me wondering about justice in the hands of terrorists. How about you?
I think your avatar says it all. I also think its disgusting, as a moderator here, to push your political views on a non-political site. I get tired of seeing this sh*t all over the web, ESPECIALLY here on gamedev.
If insurgency is still a critical area of fighting(it is) does it not seem a valid tactic to agitate, shame, and flush out insurgent actions through totally gratuitous assaults on their honor like this show?
Some of this war is being fought on television and radio waves, a lot of the pride of bombers, attackers and terrorists is exalted by showing their work and their homemade "Hooray for me" videos. Every time someone is on their way to a grave, someone else is on a camcorder praising himself for his valiant actions...why not use the same airwaves and call them gay? :)
Quote:Original post by LessBread At any rate, all this has me wondering about justice in the hands of terrorists. How about you?
I think your avatar says it all. I also think its disgusting, as a moderator here, to push your political views on a non-political site. I get tired of seeing this sh*t all over the web, ESPECIALLY here on gamedev.
hes not pushing any views, hes only giving information. i havnt seen this before, and i find it very interesting.
anyway, i really wonder that the people who came up with this were thinking. id feel quite insulted as a iraqi to have such blatant propaganda pulled on me. i dont think this will be doing much good to ease tensions, either between the occupiers and the iraqi or the iraqi themselves.
aside from the humanitarian issue ofcource, but that old news really.
Quote:Original post by Avatar God I think it's about time you stop making these threads.
Does this add anything useful to the community? No. Nor would an incredibly conservative rant. Please stop.
Its better than another pointless thread about why some loser can't get laid.
I have to wonder if this show is actually popular, and if so, why? Does Iraq have a hick segment that would get off on watching Cops just like the US does, or is it just a morbid curiosity? The existance of the show, while I don't approve of it, doesn't bother me so much as the possibility that a large segment of the population would enjoy watching it.
